. california birning. firefighters battle deadly and destructive wildfires, sometimes they lose. >> our house is gone. >> are you serious? >> i'm standing right there. mobile home massacre. fwrg police hunt for a suspect in the deaths of eight people. >> somebody went in that house, there's who doubt, and murdered these people. and lost and found at sea. three fisher men rescued after their boat cap sizes in the gulf of mexico. this is the "cbs morning news" of mexico. this is the "cbs morning news" for monday, august 31st, 2009.

captioning funded by cbs good morning. i'm ross poe lum bow, in for michelle guillen. we begin this morning with those california wildfires. firefighters facing a massive fire north of los angeles and battled throughout the night. two have lost their lives when their truck rolled done a mountain side. that fire, the largest in the state, is the so-called station fire in the an gel list national forest, another major blaze burning north of sacramento has destroyed some 60 buildings. the station fire has destroyed at least 18 structures and threatens 12,000 homes. more than 42,000 acres have burned, more than 6,000 homes have been evacuated in pasadena and other towns north of l.a. patty kaufman has the latest. >> reporter: it's an inferno, trup he will digit temperatures and dry brush that goes up like kindling. >> we would just ask if we tell to you leave, when we say that, we tell to you leave, you leave. because your life is in danger.

it's very important that you understand that. >> reporter: as vacation cabins incinerat incinerated, authorities rushed to evacuate thousands of homes. >> this is a mandatory evacuation order. >> we just have to pray for the best. >> reporter: flames crawling uphill sides with million dollar homes above. as always, there were holdouts. >> we decided it stay. >> reporter: john boir was trying to protect his home with a garden hose. >> i'm here for the last stand making sure that the house that my dad, my brr and i built didn't did you tell burnt town. 24rr9 through the day, evacuation centers filled with people and pets. jane armstrong brought her family pictures and her pups, benny and rosy. >> the cats i was able to find a place for. these guys kind of have to stay with me. >> reporter: though there are other fires burning in california, the station fire is the most dangerous. >> this fire is still totally out control. >> reporter: 265 engines, 12 helicopter, and nearly 2,000 firefighters are battling this one blaze. a massive plume of smoke hung

over the city. a reminder of how precarious life here can be. >> it's a gm bell to live in an area like this, but that's the risk you take. >> reporter: l.a. county sheriffs say two people who ignored orderses to evacuate and tried to ride out the fire in their hot tub were badly burned. patty kaufman, cbs news, los angeles. in the pacific, hurricane jimena is headed for baja. more than 250 miles off of mexico's pacific coast, the powerful category four storm has sustained winds near 145 miles an hour. jimena is still string thing and could hit baja by late tomorrow or wednesday. back in california, the jaycee dugard investigation has expanded. officers searched the secret backyard shed where phil garrido allegedly held her captive for 18 years and cadaver dogs were used to check another property next door.

police say he might be linked to several unsolved murders from the 1990s. police in southeast georgia are offering a reward for information about a mass killing at a mobile home. police won't say if the victims are related or if they have any leads that might point to a suspect or even a motive. >> reporter: inside this small mobile home, authorities in glin county, georgia are investigating the biggest mass murder they've ever seen. alt people are dead and one more person is critically injured. >> somebody went in that house, there's no doubt, and murdered these people, yes. >> reporter: police still do not have a suspect and hope a $25,000 reward will generate more leads. >> what does $25,000 mean? that means we need help 37 anybody who has information that can call to us tell us, we need that help. that's the simplest way i can put it. >> reporter: not knowing whether a mass murderer is on the loose has residents scared. >> i look my doors now. i don't -- i try and stay energy

i lock my car. if i'm the only one in the car and stuff like that. >> reporter: police have arrested 22-year-old guy hines junior. he made the 911 call alerting them to the massacre. so far police have charged him with illegal possession of prescription drugs and marijuana, tampering with evidence, and making false statements. however, police will not yet call him a suspect in the murders and are asking for the public's help. >> so it's not a matter of actually see something. it could be hearing something. >> reporter: police say the autopsies on all eight victims should be finished by monday. investigators are are still gathering physical evidence from the crime scene and say they have no reason to believe that any of the victims committed this horrible crime. harvey screen is an, cbs news, new york. ple fishermen are safely back on dry land. the coast guard brought them back to port after the men were found alive clinging to their capsized fishing boat 180 miles from land. they were rescued by a passing pleasure boat. anxious family members were

relieved. >> it's something you only see in the movies. you don't believe it. and i don't even know how to explain the feeling, we got the call that he was missing in the gulf, you know. >> the three survived on crackers, bubble gum and fresh water from the boat's washdown tank. >> a former cia official says the plift security firm blackwater offered to use foreigners as part of a secret agency policeman to send death squads to root out terrorists. the agency contracted with blackwater in 2004, but no operations were carried out. the ex-cia official says using foreigners was appealing because, quote, you wouldn't want to have american fingerprintses on it. former vice president dick cheney is blasting the justice department investigation of cia interrogators. cheney says the harsh methods used after 9/11 were good policy and calls the investigation a political move. bill plante has the story.

>> reporter: in a stating broad side, chain in calls the decision partisan, politicized and dangerous. >> outrageous political act that will do great damage long term to our capacity to be able to have people take on difficult jobs, make difficult decisions. >> reporter: the special prosecutor is to determine whether cia interrogators broke the law when they used tactics such as mock execution, death threats and waterboarding. actions the bush administration hooked at and declined to prosecute. the attorney general's decision came even though president obama has said repeatedly he's not interested this looking back. >> as a general deal, i think that we should be looking forward and not backwards. >> reporter: and chaen any insists the tough interrogation paid off in a big way. >> my sort of overwhelming view is that the enhanced entear xwags techniques were absolutely essential in saving thousands of american livers.

>> reporter: but the effectiveness remains in dispute. critics say there's little supports evidence in the documents the cia has released. senator john mccain, once a prisoner of war, also owe poses the new investigation, but doesn't believe that torture works. >> i think it harmed our image in the world, but for us now to go back, i think would be a serious mistake. >> reporter: the chair of the senate intelligence ghiltity, which is also investigation quatsing the cia report, wishes the attorney general had waited. >> i think we need to get the whole story together and tell it in an appropriate way. >> reporter: the former vice president, who has been harshly critical of the obama administration from the beginning, has taken it up a notch. questioning the president's policies and in particular whether president obama understands what it takes to defend the nation. bill plante, cbs new, the white house. just ahead on the morning news oig, your monday morning "moneywatch." plus a full house in space. the shuttle crew gets a warm welcome aboard the space

station. but first, harry smith has a preview of tonight's "cbs evening news." >> despite signs of recovery four years after hurricane's katrina and rita, why are 2100 families still living in those same fema trailers? we'll investigate tonight on the "cbs evening news." i'm semi retired and i'm here to tell a story. my parents all smoked. my grandparents smoked. i've been a long-time smoker. you know, discouragement is a big thing in quitting smoking. i'm a guy who had given up quitting. what caused me to be interested was, chantix is not a nicotine product and that intrigued me. the doctor said while yore taking it you can continue to smoke during the first week. (announcer) chantix is proven to reduce the urge to smoke.

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if you notice swelling of face, mouth, throat or a rash stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away. tell your doctor which medicines you are taking as they may work differently when you quit smoking. chantix dosing may be different if you have kidney problems. the most common side effect is nausea. patients also reported trouble sleeping and vivid, unusual or strange dreams. until you know how chantix may affect you, use caution when driving or operating machinery. chantix should not be taken with other quit smoking products. the urges weren't like they used to be, and that help me quit. (announcer) talk to your doctor to find out if prescription chantix is right for you. space shuttle "discovery" has docked. there was a lot of cheerg and hugging and this morning things

are pretty crowded. it's only the second time 13 people have been aboard the station at once. "discovery" is dropping off thousands of pounds of equipment, including a treadmill named for comedy central's stephen colbert. back here on earth, asian stocks slumped to start the week. karen brown is in this morning for claire leka with that and more on the cbs "moneywatch." >> reporter: good morning. asian stocks were down today after surging on the optimism over the newly elected government. the nikkei quickly fell back. it was down less than 1%. on wall street, the dow will start the day out on the down side. it finished up on friday down 36 points. the nasdaq is just about even. it closed friday up about one point. this week he investorses will be watching closely for two key reports. the latest unemployment figures will be released later this week and more americans are expected to lose their jobs. also, the monthly auto sales will be out tomorrow.

they're expected to have the first year to year increase in two years. the cash if clunkers program is being given all the credit. and for those folks in the new pul efficient car, they're getting another break. the price of gas has dipped slightly to a national average of $2.61 a gallon, down about two cents from a week ago. and for all those who flock to the movies to for get their financial troubles, it was the final destination that took stop spot this weekend at the box office. the sci-fi twliler about trying to dodge death earned $28 million in its debut. last week's number one, "inglourious basterds," was second with $20 million and another horror film, halloween 2, opened in third place with $7.4 million. and if to get about cutting coupons. these days you can just tweet them. the use of electronic coupons more than doubled in the first half of the year. experts say the high-tech cost savings are attracting a younger generation to coupons, so, ross,

have you been tweeting your coupons? >> i haven't yet, but i'll give it a shot. karen, thank you. japan's opposition party is taking power after an historic victory in parliamentary elections. the new prime minister will be uk i don't who plans to rebuild the ailing economy after oughting the power that held power there for most of the last 50 years. and in israel, former prime minister olmert has been indicted on corruption charges. he's accused of taking money in an american supporter and double billing for trips abroad. olmert denies the charm, but he was still forced to step down and if convicted could face up to five rears in prison. straight ahead, your monday morning weather forecast. and in sports, pint sized world champions. american little leaguers show how it's done.

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here's a look at weather in 134 cities across the country. new york partly cloudy, 76 degrees. miami, partly cloudy, 92. chicago, sunny and cool, 6. denver, late day storms, 75. l.a., of course sun any at 88. time for a check on the national forecast.latest satellite picture shows a few thunderstorms scattered across the rockies while it's a clear an cool morning across the great lakes and midwest. later today, thunderstorms are likely along the southeast coastline. the northeast will be dry and cool and the plains will stay sunny and warm. in sports, are the national league playoff race just got a lot more interesting. guy ands lsh rockies in san francisco, colorado up early

until edgar blasted a grand slam to the left. giants win 9-5rks sweep the weekend series and are now tied with the rockies for the wild card. adam wayne wright from the cardinals is the major's first 16 game winner, celebrating his 28th birthday, the right-hander dominated the washington nationals for six innings. albert pujols drove in the game winning run in the sixth. cards bet the nats 2-1. in new york, mark teixeria homered and drove in four runs as the yankees completed a sweep of the struggling chicago white sox winning 8-#. the surging yanks have won 20 of their last 26 games. and for the fifth year in a row, a team from the u.s. has won the little league world series. clue la vista, california defeated taiwan 6-3 in sunday's championship game in williamsport, pennsylvania. and vice president joe biden helped the winners to celebrate.

when we return, another look at morning's top stories. and the deadliest month for american forces in afghanistan, august takes a heavy toll. luci: i'm luci romberg. i'm a free runner... ...national champion gymnast... ...martial artist... and a stuntwoman. if you want to be incredible, eat incredible. announcer: eggs. incredible energy for body and mind. (guitar music) you weren't always my favorite day. with all the pet hair in the air, i'd spend class preoccupied, bothered by itchy eyes. but now i have new zyrtec® itchy eye drops. it works fast, with just one drop, to relieve my itchy eyes from allergies for up to 12 hours. no other allergy itchy eye drop works faster or longer. which is good, 'cause there's a lotta paws to shake. with new zyrtec® itchy eye drops i can love the air™. (announcer) find it in the allergy aisle next to other zyrtec® products.

on the cbs morning news oig, here's a look at today's weather. it will be a beautiful autumn like day across the midwest and great lakes. plains will be sun if i and warm. here's another look at this morning's top stories. a massive wildfire north of los angeles is threatening 12,000 homes. two firefighters were killed when their truck rolled down a mountain. another blaze has destroyed more than 60 homes near sacramento.

and police in southeast georgia are offering a $25,000 reward for information about the murders of eight people in a mobile home. ninth victim is st fighting for his llg. >> allegations of voter fraud in afghanistan's presidential election are growing louder by the day and the death toll is also on the rise. tara has more. >> reporter: good morning. u.s. forces are pushing further and further into taliban territory as insurgents are striking back. august 2009 is the deadliest month yet for u.s. forces in afghanistan. a record 46 soldiers died this month, including an american soldier who was killed friday by a roadside bomb. more than 60,000 u.s. troops are in afghanistan battling the taliban.

the top u.s. military officer admits the situation is deteriorating. >> the taliban insurgency has gotten better, more sophisticated, their tactics just in my recent visits and talking with our troops certainly indicate that. >> reporter: the military will give a better assessment in the coming weeks. it's not clear whether more troops will be requested, but what is clear is the dwindling public support of the nearly eight year war. a recent "washington post"/abc news poll shows more than half of americans say the battle is not worth fighting for. president obama had hoped recent afghanistan elections would indicate some progress in the cup, but it's been more than a week since voters headed to the polls and there's still no clear cut winner. one candidate must win 51% of the vote to a individual a runoff election and president that mid car size currently leads the race, but his top competitor is claiming fraud. >> i don't trust -- >> reporter: so far there are

nearly 700 major fraud complaints.fear now is the longer it takes to investigate each case, the more time it will be until afghanistan sees a new possibly more stable government. >> tara mergener reporting. i'm ross poe lum be, this is the "cbs morning news." ♪ ♪ i got troubles, oh ♪ but not today ♪ 'cause they're gonna wash away ♪ ♪ they're gonna wash away ♪ ♪ ♪ they're gonna wash away ♪ this old heart ♪ gonna take them away [ quacks ] maybe one of the most important... is new centrum silver ultra women's. a complete multivitamin for women over 50. it has vitamin d which emerging science suggests... supports breast health... and more calcium for bone health.

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>> this is wjz, wjz dt, and wjz.com. now, wjz. it is wjz, maryland's news station. . hello again, in 25 seconds the l be 5:00. it is the most pleasant and comfortable day start. it is christy in for